The 2021 Toyota Yaris Hybrid was the fourth-generation Yaris, known internally as the XP210 series. It went on sale in Japan in February 2020 and in Europe from the summer of 2020, and in Europe it was sold exclusively with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. Critically, it was never offered in North America, and the spun article that previously occupied this page did not make that clear.
Toyota had discontinued the Yaris in the United States after the 2020 model year — 2020 was the last model year for both the Yaris sedan and the Yaris Hatchback — so there was no 2021 Yaris at all in the US market. The XP210 hybrid described here is a European, Japanese and Australasian model, not an American one.
Which Markets Got the Yaris Hybrid
The XP210 Yaris was engineered for Japan, Europe and Australasia. It was unveiled simultaneously in October 2019 in Japan and in Amsterdam. In Japan it replaced the Vitz nameplate entirely and went on sale on 10 February 2020. In Europe, specifications were confirmed in July 2020 and production began at Toyota’s Onnaing plant in France on 6 July 2020, later joined by Kolin in the Czech Republic. Australia and New Zealand received the car from August 2020, sourced from Japan, with the hybrid replacing the Prius c. North America did not receive the car at all.
The Fourth-Generation Yaris and Its Platform
The XP210 Yaris was the first Toyota built on the GA-B version of the company’s TNGA platform, and development was led by chief engineer Yasunori Suezawa. It was shorter, wider and lower than the model it replaced, at 3,940 mm long, 1,745 mm wide (European specification) and 1,470–1,500 mm tall, with a 2,560 mm wheelbase in Europe. Japanese cars used the previous 1,695 mm width to stay within a domestic tax class. The same platform underpinned the GR Yaris hot hatch, the Yaris Cross compact SUV and the Aqua, and in Europe the Yaris Hybrid was also rebadged and sold as the Mazda2 Hybrid from 2022.
Hybrid Powertrain and Specifications
The Yaris Hybrid combined a 1.5-liter three-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine (code M15A-FXE) with an electric motor and a power-split transmission, drawing on a 177.6-volt lithium-ion battery. Combined system output was 85 kW (114 hp, 116 PS). The hybrid system is closely related to the larger units used in the Corolla, RAV4 and Camry. Conventional gasoline engines — a 1.0-liter and a 1.5-liter three-cylinder — were also offered in certain European markets, but the UK range was hybrid-only from launch.
| Specification | Yaris Hybrid (XP210) |
|---|---|
| Gasoline engine | 1.5L three-cylinder (M15A-FXE) |
| Engine output | 67 kW (90 hp) |
| Electric motor | 59 kW (79 hp), 141 Nm |
| Combined system output | 85 kW (114 hp, 116 PS) |
| Battery | 177.6 V lithium-ion |
| Transmission | eCVT (power-split) |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive (Japan offered E-Four AWD) |
In Japan, an electric four-wheel-drive version called E-Four added a small rear motor, while the standard car was front-wheel drive. Toyota’s power-split layout is one of several powertrains the company uses across its range.
Performance and Efficiency
Toyota quoted a 0–62 mph time of 9.7 seconds and a top speed of 175 km/h (108 mph) for the Yaris Hybrid, along with WLTP CO2 emissions of 92–98 g/km. A UK road test recorded a combined figure of about 65.6 mpg against the official data. In May 2023, Toyota added a more powerful “Hybrid 130” version with 96 kW (129 hp); the original car is now sometimes referred to as the Hybrid 115.
Pricing and Launch
The fourth-generation Yaris Hybrid went on sale in Britain from £19,910 for the entry-level Icon model, rising through Design (£20,970), Dynamic (£21,920) and Excel (£22,220), with a limited high-specification Launch Edition at £24,005. Prices in Germany started at about €22,000. A Spanish two-seat van version, the Yaris Hybrid ECOVan, appeared in 2021, and a GR Sport trim with revised suspension and steering was added in December 2021.
Safety
The XP210 Yaris was the first car tested under Euro NCAP’s new mobile progressive deformable barrier frontal test and the first Toyota to feature center airbags. It earned five stars from both Euro NCAP and ANCAP, scoring 86% for adult occupant protection and 87% for child occupant protection in the Euro NCAP assessment. Standard safety equipment included Toyota Safety Sense with autonomous emergency braking, lane tracing assist and adaptive cruise control.
Related Yaris coverage on this site includes the 2021 Toyota Yaris Hatchback Review and 2021 Toyota Yaris Rumors, Engine Specs and Release Date. More is collected in the site’s Toyota Review section.
It is worth remembering the context of the original piece. It was written as a “rumors and release date” post before the car had even been revealed, and it hedged about a redesign that was still unconfirmed. Those questions are now settled: the fourth-generation Yaris did arrive, it was hybrid-heavy in Europe, and it was not sold in the United States.
Inside, the Yaris Hybrid was a five-seat supermini with a noticeably higher-quality cabin than its predecessor, including a soft-touch instrument panel. Toyota also offered the Yaris Cross, a taller compact SUV built on the same GA-B platform, for buyers who wanted more space; it arrived in 2021 with the same 1.5-liter hybrid powertrain.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Toyota Yaris (XP210)
- Wikipedia — Powertrain
- Fleet World — prices and CO2 for the all-new Toyota Yaris Hybrid
- Motor1 UK — new Toyota Yaris UK pricing
- Eurekar — Toyota Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Dynamic road test
- Toyota — discontinued Yaris family
- Car and Driver — Toyota confirms Yaris sedan and hatchback are dead to the U.S.
